Vending-machine.



No. 864,891.- PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907. J. W. GILLETT & G. I. MARTIN.VENDING MACHINE APPLICATION rILn'n 0012a. 1905.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 864,891. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907. J. W. GILLETT & G. I. MARTIN.

VENDING MACHINE. 'APPLIOATION FILED 00125. 1906.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

7 ms Means PETERS can WAsHlNcroN, n. c.

No. 864,891. PATENTED SEPT. a, 1907. J. W; GILLETT & G. I. MARTIN.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0013.25.1906.

3 SHEETS- SHEET 3.

Wi m maze rm: NORRIS PETERS cm. WASHIN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. GILLEIT AND GEORGE I. MARTIN, OF ATLANTIC, IOWA.

VE NDING-MACHIN E Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

invention is not limited to this use.

The object of the invention is to provide a vending apparatus or machineof this character which will be attractive in appearance and operation,as well as of simple and durable construction, and which will embody anovel and useful arrangement and construction of the parts andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the meansfor effecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l. is a perspective view of our improved vending machine; Fig. 2is a horizontal sectional view thereof taken approximately on the line xa; of Fig. 5; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one of the frauddetecting devices; Fig. 4: is a detail sectional view illustrating therelative position of the stripping mechanism and the alining mechanismwhen the revoluble carrier is at rest; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalview of the lower por tion of the apparatus; Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of one of the boxes designed for use in the vendingmachine; Fig. 7 is a similar View of the lower por tion of said box, butshowing the box as empty; Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of thebox; Fig. 9 is a detail view partly in plan and partlyin horizontalsection, and is designed to illustrate the combined action of thestripping mechanism and alining mechanism; Fig. 10 is a detail sectionalview with parts in elevation, of part of the coin controlled ejectingmechanism; and, Fig. I]. is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanismillustrated in Fig. 10, the section being taken substantially on theline yy of Fig. 10.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The casing 1 of our improved coin controlled vending machine is providedwith a lid 2 which may be hinged thereto and is also provided with anelevated floor 3 which divides the casing into an upper compart ment 4for the reception of the articles to be sold and the mechanism forholding the same, and a lower compartment 5 which is intended to containthe actuating mechanism and also to serve as a coin depository. Theupper compartment 4 is preferably provided with glass panels 6 on allsides and its top, while the lower compartment is preferably in closedby opaque panels, so that the article magazines may be viewed at alltimes and the operation of the machine watched, which we believe willadd to the interest of the device, while the actuating mechanism itselfremains hidden. and inclosed in the lower compartment. In addition. tothe attractiveness produced by the transparency of the upper compartmentwalls, this feature is an essential one at present, if the machine beused to sell cigars, as it in this respect comes Within the scope of theinternal revenue requirements.

A revoluble carrier 7 is mounted in the compartment 4' to turn in ahorizontal plane, and said carrier embodies a central vertical shaft 8held to turn about its longitudinal axis in a cross bar 8 at the top ofthe compartment and in a step bearing 8 supported on the end of thebracket 9 secured to the motor casing 10 in the lower compartment 5. Theshaft 8 passes freely through the floor 3, as shown. Secured upon theshaft 8 are upper and lower collars 11. and disks 12 are secured orformed integrally with said collars. Supporting arms 13 are secured attheir inner ends to the disks 12 and radiate therefrom and to these armsare secured pairs of vertically extending channeled side bars 14, which,with the arms, constitute box receiving frames. The channels of the twoside bars of each frame face toward each other. Boxes 15, which, in thepresent instance are shown as cigar boxes, are received within saidframes and constitute therewith magazines for the articles that are tobe sold. Each of these boxes is in the present instance of cigar widthand is stood on end by being slid downwardly within the channeled sidebars, and each box is provided with a hinged lid 16 and is cut away atone end to form a lateral discharge op ening 1.7 opposite which two endopening slots 18 are formed. A cap or closure 19 is intended to coverthe said cut-away and slotted end of the box, when the cigars are packedtherein and come from the factory, and it is intended that the internalrevenue stamp shall extend around this cap or closure, and up over theseam or slit formed at the edge of the lid 16. Hence, as this cap orclosure 19 must first be removed before the cigar box 15 can beoperatively supported in its frame of the carrier, the internal revenuestamp must manifestly be broken, according to law, and it is intendedthat the cap after having been detached shall be inserted over the upperends of the channeled side bars 14. or the up per end of the box 15 soas to be always in a conspicuous position. Hence, the inspectors may seeat a glance that the torn or separated ends of the stamp match. each.other. V

The channeled side bars 14 are provided at their lower ends withinwardly bent portions forming supporting ledges 14 above which one sideof the channeled walls are cut away to form the lateral opening 14"coincident with the cut away portion or lateral discharge opening 17 ofthe box, and the box is preferably provided with corresponding ends l5at each side of the opening 17, these ends l5" being flush with the saidledges as shown.

The cigars, if cigars are to be sold, are preferably con tained inseparate cells 20 arranged in superposed relation within the box 15, andeach of said cellsis provided with an open side 21. through which thecigar may be viewed when the box .15 is opened, so as to determine at aglance the size, shape and number of cigars in each compartment or cell.Preferably, to exclude moisture and preserve the cigar, each cigar iswrapped in tin-foil or oiled paper.

22 and 23 designate two alining devices which are connected to theframes or magazines of the revoluble carrier to move therewith. Thesetraveling alining devices in. the present instance are shown as two wirefingers, one of which (22) is secured at its ends to the sides of thechanneled bars 14 just above the opening l4 thereby assisting in bracingthe channeled side bars 14, the extremity of said linger extendingslightly inwardly and thence downwardly as indicated at 22, while theother alining device (23) is secured at one end to the outer side of theoutermost side bar 14 and extends slightly inwardly and downwardly atits other end, as indicated at 23. These converging fingers or aliningdevices are intended to coaet with stripping mechanism, which, in thepresent instance comprises two upwardly extending stationary lingers 24arranged at the rear side of a discharge opening 25 formed in the Iloor23. This opening extends in a radial direction coincident with theradius of the revolublc carrier 7 and is of a size to pass the cells 20,and leading downwardly from the discharge opening is a discharge chute26 extending at its bottom to a side opening in the front of thecompartment 5 in the casing and on to a tray 27 from which the articlesmay be withdrawn.

The specific operation and correlation of the two alining devices 22 and23 with respect to the movement of the revoluble carrier and thestationary stripping lingers 24 will be described hereinafter inconnection with the operation of the other parts of the apparatus.

In order to revolve the carrier 7, the shaft 8 is provided near itslower end with a bevel pinion 2S meshing with a corresponding pinion 29on the actuating shaft of a motor 30 mounted within the casing 10. Inthe pres ent instance this motor is a spring motor, the winding shaft 31of which extends out through one wall of the lower compartment 5 so asto be engaged by a key;

The revoluble movement of the carrier 7 is essentially an intermittentone and to secure this effect, each of the frames or magazines isprovided with a lug or keeper 32 which is shown projecting downwardlyfrom the outermost side bar of each frame. In the path oi movement ofthese lugs a plunger or latch pin 33 is located, said latch beingpressed upwardly above its casing so as to obstruct the free passage ormovement of the lugs or keepers 32 by means of the spring 34 which isshown. as secured at one end to the under side of the floor 3 and hasits other end passing through an opening in. the latch. The latch 33 isprovided at its lower end with an upwardly facing book 35, and a lever36 has its free end inserted through said hook and is fulcrumed to thesupporting plate 37 attached to the under side of the lloor 3 so that asthe lever is depressed, the plunger or latch 33 will be moveddownwardly.

A hanger 38 is secured to the under side of the lloor 3 in juxtapositionto the free end of the lever 36 and a releasing plate 39 iseccentrically pivoted between the members of said hanger in position todepress the lever 36, when the said plate is swung downwardly. Adepressing arm 40 is soldered or otherwise secured to the plate 35) andthe free end of said depressing arm carries a coin (lisk 41 which isadapted to close the lower end of an upwardly extending coin chute 42opening into the lower compartment 5. The tension of the spring 34 issuch as to hold the arm 40 and the coin disk at the upper limit of theirmovement, with the disk extending over the opening at the lower end ofthe chute 42.

An inclined coin race-way 43 opens at its lower end into the upper endol the vertical chute 42 and is provided at its other end with a coinentrance opening, and said race-way is preferably twisted in its lengthas shown, so that a coin may be inserted therein on its edge and thenceturned as it rolls down the race-way so as to be deposited in the upperend of the chute 2 face downward. A guide plate or buffer 44 is securedto the lower end of the race-way at the far side of the upper end of thecoin chute 42 so as to prevent the coins from overshooting the chute.The race-way 43 is provided along its length with a slot 45 which is ofa width to shunt those coins that are not of the requisite diameter. inorder to prevent nut washers or similar fraudulent devices l'rom passinginto the chute 42, we provide a hanger rod 46 depending from the lowerside 01' the raceway 43 between the lower end of the latter and the slot45, and a counter-weighted deflector 47 which is preferably coiledintermediate of its ends to form a hearing by which it is pi votallysuspended from the h anger and which is formed at one end with anupwardly facing hook-48 designed to project into the upper end of thecoin chute 42 through an opening 49 therein and slightly above thebottom of the race-way. Hence, when a nut washer or the like isdeposited in the raceway, the hook 48 will catch the same and the weightof the washer will rock the deflector rod 47 so as to deflect the washerand cause it to be discharged laterally from the chute through theopening 49 instead of being passed to the coin disk 41.

In the practical operation of the machine, when the cigar or other boxesare inserted on end within the frames ot the revoluble carrier, as abovedescribed, the insertion of the proper coin into the coin raceway willpermit the coin to slide downwardly and into the coin chute and fallupon the coin disk 41, the momentum of the coin will depress the coindisk 4l and its arm 40 so as to slide the latch 33 downwardly in itscasing and free the carrier momentarily, while the coin will roll fromthe disk into the depository constituted by the lower compartment. 4allowing the plunger or latch to again assume its normal position in thepath of the keepers so as to bring the revoluble carrier to a standstillafter a single actuation. This temporary release 01' the carrier willallow it. to swing around a Sllll'lClOlll] distance for one of thearticle holding frames or magazines to sweep across the dischargeopening 25. As

this occurs, the stripping fingers 24 which register with the slots 18oi the box 15 will strip the lowermost cell 20 outwardly through thedischarge opening 17 and opening 14''. As the discharge opening and thestripping fingers 24 are sulistantially in r: dial alinement with therevolving magazines, it is evident that the more centrally locatedlinger oi the two will iirst engage one end of the lowermost cell andsweep the innermost end of said cell out of the magazine before theoutermost stripping linger shall have come into contact with the outerend of said cell. In this connection the alining devices are mostimportant. As the inner end of the lowermost cell 20 is swung outwardlyas described by the inner stripping linger, it will be caught by theinnermost traveling alinin'g device and prevented from being turnedabout one end on the pivot so as to swing diagonally across thedischarge opening, and as said innermost, alining device travels, itwill turn the cell into perl'ect alinement with the discharge openingand allow the outermost stripping l'inger to then actuate to sweep theother end of the cell out, and said latter end oi? the cell will becaught by the other alining device and by this engagement the said cellwill be accurately directed into the discharge opening from whence itwill slide or roll out to the tray 27 in convenient position to bewithdrawn. Without such an arrangement of parts as just described, it isobvious that the innermost stripping linger might sweep the inner end oithe lowermost cell with such force, especially if the carrier is at itshighest tension, as to cause the cell to miss the discharge opening andclog the entire apparatus, as well as injure the cigar being discharged.With this arrangement oi parts and the successive correlation of theinnermost stripping linger, the innermost alining device and the outerStripping linger and outer alining device, the possibility of such anoccurrence is precluded, and this is a desideratum in this art, and webelieve it to be essential where a revoluble carrier is employed.

The pivotal movement of the lowermost cell, which is described above andwhich is corrected by the alining devices, is caused by the weight; ofthe superposed .cells upon the lowermost cell, which causes the outerrevolnble carrier, means for intermittently actuating said carrier, thecarrier embodying an article nmguzine. u cusing for the carrier, saidcasing being provided with :1 discharge slot or opening in the path ofmovement oi? the magazine, stripping mechanism adapted to cause the ole:tion of an article from the nmgazinc as the latter revoh ,s across theopening, and an alining mechanism enacting with said strippingmechanism.

2. A machine of the character described, compr carrier, the carrierembodying an article magazine, :1 cos int, for the carrier. said casingbeing provided with a discharge slot or opening in the path of movementoi the nuiguzine, inner and outer stripping lingers adapted tosuccessively engage one side of an article and eject it: from themagazine as the hitter revolves. and alining mechanism consisting oi.inne' and outer alining devices adapted to successively engage theopposite side of the article as it is being ejected.

.l. A machine of the character described, comprising :1 revolublecarrier, means for inl'ermittently actuating said carrier, the carrierembodying an article nmgazine, a ens ing i'or the carrier, said casingbeing provided with a discharge slot or opening in the path of movementoi the nmgnzine stripping mechanism adapted to engage one side ot anarticle and cause the ejection of the same from the nmgzizine us the[utter revolves across the opening, and an alining mechanism couclingwith said stripping mechanism. the :ilining' meelmnism consisting ofinner and outer zilining devices embodying lingers connected to themagazine and provided with downwardly extending extremities adapted tosuccessively engage the opposite side of the article, as and for thepurpose set: lforth.

4. A machine ol. the character described, comprising :1 revolublecarrier, means for actuating said carrier, the carrier embody ng :1vertical rod mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, collarssecured on suid'rod. disks secured to said collars. radiating armssecured at their inner ends to said disks, pairs o'lf vertical channeledbars secured to said arms with their channels facing each other. saidchannels being open at the top. and the bars being provided at theirlower ends with inwardly extend ing ledges and openings contiguo us toand above said ledges. article holdingboxes adapted to be sliddownwardly between the respective pairs ofsuid bars and rest at theirlower end therein and 'liormed with a lateral discharge opening.stripping fingers adapted to sweep an article through thelateruldischarge opening of :1 box as the carrier revolves, :1 casing for saidcarrier provided with at discharge opening located in the path describedby the boxes, as they revolve, and alining devices provided withdownwardly projecting extremities spaced from the dis charge opening otthe respective box, and one of said ulining devices extending acrossfrom one but to the other of the respective pairs and constituting abrace thcrt-itor.

5. A machine ot' the character described. comprising a revoluble carrierembodying vertical frames nrranged to revolve in a horizontal plane,means for intermittently actuating said carrier, a casing for thecarrier provided with a discharge slot, disposed radially with respectto the carrier, inner and outer stripping lingers located contiguous toone side of said slot :mdudapted to engage an article and cause itsejection from the carrier as the latter revolves, and alining mechanismadopted to engage the article and register it with the discharge slot oropening.

(5. A machine ot the character described. comprising a revolublecarrier, means for intermittently actuating said carrier, a casing forthe carrier provided with a discharge slot disposed radially withrespect to the carrier, inner and outer stripping lingers adapted tosuccessively engage an article and cause its ejection from the carrieras the hitter revolves, and out. and innenlining devices adapted tosuccessively engage the article at its ends as it is being ejected.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures in presence olI twowitnesses. v

JOHN W. Gll'll'llfllflf. GEORGE l. MARTIN.

